This content originally appeared on HackerNoon and was authored by Edward Aslin
The addition of 'Vibe Coding' to the Collins Dictionary made headlines recently. But somewhat poetically, there is no entry for the consequences that can easily result from the celebrated praxis.
\ As an increasingly geriatric coder, my understanding gleaned from watching 'The YouTube' is that Vibe coding seems to involve writing software:
- without a clear design
- without documentation
- without understanding of the code
- without consideration for edge cases
- without consideration for longevity
- without regard for efficiency
\ None of these things inherently indicate technical debt…but they do make it considerably more probable. And yet, technical debt mysteriously has no entry in the Collins dictionary.
\ One term has earned linguistic prestige; the other, despite being older, more widely used, and infinitely more expensive, remains unacknowledged.
\ It is almost as if the hype is more relevant than the reality.
'Vibe coding' captures the care free, improvisational side of programming; Write what feels good, and see where it goes. Technical debt captures the inevitable consequences of such approaches, and the moment you have to pay the piper.
\ And in fairness, maybe we are entering a new age, where these things don't matter as vibe-coded work can just be replaced with more vibe-coded work, and churn becomes the new norm.
\ I have no doubt that vibe coding can hold great value, and I have no doubt it will change the world. I also have no doubt the outcome will be as old as every quick fix that became someone else's long-term problem…even if the dictionary fails to name it
This content originally appeared on HackerNoon and was authored by Edward Aslin
Edward Aslin | Sciencx (2025-11-18T21:33:45+00:00) ‘Vibe Coding’ Is Now In The Collins Dictionary – But What About ‘Technical Debt’?. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/11/18/vibe-coding-is-now-in-the-collins-dictionary-but-what-about-technical-debt/
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